Democrats will prioritize the economy, the Constitution, and common decency. Here is our plan to emerge even stronger and repair the damage caused by the current administration and their enablers.

First, A Word About Fiscal Discipline

1. Since the 1970’s only one president—a Democrat—has achieved annual budget surpluses. Republicans have all run annual deficits and increased the national debt, every year since the 1970’s. We can do better. We can have a powerful middle class, a thriving economy, common decency, and achieve annual budget surpluses at the same time.
2. Start by paying for the items below by rolling back the Trump tax breaks for billionaires, which cost $3.8 trillion.
3. Close corporate tax breaks that are not measurably creating middle class jobs in large numbers.
4. Freeze non-personnel-related military spending at current levels. Our military is the finest in world history and we must protect that, while also considering other priorities, as well.

 

An Economy for the People, with Good Jobs and Affordable Lives

5. Strengthen unions. Unions protect and grow the American middle class.
6. Focus economic strategy on more middle class jobs. That is the real sign of a healthy economy.
7. Increase the national minimum wage to $15 per hour and increase it annually for inflation.
8. Allow all Americans the option to voluntarily buy into Medicare. Charge $50 per month for households earning under $80,000 per year, and a sliding scale premium for households with higher incomes. (No change to the underlying Medicare program—protect it as-is. The premiums are only for younger people choosing to opt in.)
9. Require permits for affordable housing to be reviewed and approved first, before all other building permits, and exempt affordable housing permits from many regulations that are appropriately applied to higher-cost housing and commercial buildings.
10. Build an array of shelter housing, including dorm-style housing with employment and social services on-site.
11. Make it free for anyone of any age to develop a career plan and pursue it with apprenticeship, college, or other job skill training. Also offer this option during the last three years of high school to help young people move smoothly into careers.

 

Protect the Constitution

12. Get the billionaires out of our elections. Adopt a Constitutional Amendment clarifying that corporations are not people and allowing no person to donate more to campaigns than 10% of the median household income in America. The Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law, not oppression of the American people through rule by the highest bidder.
13. Make all presidents follow the law. Pass legislation clarifying that no president is allowed to commit crimes while in office, defining and enforcing the emoluments clause, defining and enforcing bribery and corruption by presidents, and requiring the Attorney General and U.S. Marshalls to fully enforce federal court orders regarding the executive branch.
14. Outlaw Gerrymandering and require convenient access to the polls for all eligible voters with no barriers placed between American citizens and our right to vote.
15. Streamline statehood for U.S. territories where people are denied their full rights, including Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories who seek statehood.

 

Common Decency

 

16. Americans need good jobs, safe neighborhoods, thriving rural communities, and affordable lives. Put these needs first, before corporate profit maximization, and before billionaire donors’ pet projects.
17. Stop coddling dictators and undermining modern democracies around the world. Revise free trade agreements to require the rule of law, human rights, authentic democracy, and strong labor and environmental protection by all beneficiary nations, including us. Give all nations a deadline to move toward these basic principles or lose their most favored nation trading status with the USA. If Russia, China, and others do not move toward modern democracy and human rights, we will gradually exclude them from the marketplaces of modern nations until they change their approach or become economically weaker.
18. Racism is still just plain wrong, it still exists, and we still need laws to keep fighting against it. Fighting racism should be as American as apple pie and we will never stop protecting all Americans of every race, gender, orientation, culture, and creed.
19. Letting people die overseas, in the tens of millions, is weak and morally wrong. Use this opportunity to rebuild USAID and focus it even more on specific, measurable, and highly effective humanitarian aid to save people from disease and starvation. It is a tiny fraction of the federal budget, and it saves tens of millions of human lives.
20. Treat people right. Make all decisions based on competence and compassion. Compassion without competence is little more than wishful thinking. Competence without compassion is oppressive and cruel.
21. Stand resolutely against greed and cruelty. Every religion and every code of ethics calls us to treat people right. We stand for a thriving and inclusive society for all of us.

 

Democrats will rebuild the American middle class, protect our authentic American democracy, and improve America’s record of global leadership along with our modern democratic allies.

Vote Democrat!